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WILLMAR -- The Farm Business Management Program at Ridgewater College will host a seminar "New Economic Realities of American Agriculture" from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. March 25 at the Kandi Entertainment Center in Willmar.

The seminar will focus on agriculture and the changing economy. Predicting the future is difficult, but the workshop will discuss the key economic and financial changes that will be influencing the final financial score for 2009 and beyond. Topics include new financial metrics, land prices, interest rates, alternative energy and the global and domestic economy.

The presenter, Dr. David Kohl, is a professor emeritus in the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics of Virginia Tech. For more information or to register, call Kay Scholten at 320-222-7609. Cost for the seminar is $35, which includes lunch and program materials. Registration is required by March 16.

Meetings on opportunitiesin the Farm Bill

WILLMAR -- The Center for Rural Affairs and Land Stewardship Project is sponsoring meetings in western Minnesota about programs of the 2008 Farm Bill related to starting a business and growing locally.

The meetings will present information on the new micro entrepreneur assistance program and some of the new developments and opportunities in the Value Added Producer Grant Program. Information about Country of Origin Labeling and how it impacts farmers who market locally, Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program, changes in meat inspection and opportunities for processing locally grown meat and selling across state lines, the Conservation Stewardship Program and some of the new provisions for organic farmers will also be available.

Area meetings include from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Redwood Falls Public Library, from 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday at the Montevideo Community Center, from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service office in Morris and 5 to 6:30 p.m. at Countryside Public Health Meeting Room in (Main Street behind the Granary Food Co-op) Ortonville.

- WILLMAR -- Emily Schueler and Bethany Urban will be crowned as the 2009 Kandiyohi County dairy princesses at the county dairy banquet at 7:30 p.m. today at the Kandi Entertainment Center in Willmar. Tickets for the banquet are $15 for adults and $8 for children 12 and under. Tickets are available from the current dairy princesses, the candidates and the dairy association board of directors.

- WILLMAR -- The 2009 Willmar Ag Show will be from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday at the Willmar Civic Area. The show exhibitors include a wide range of vendors providing products for both crop and livestock production. The show focuses on providing opportunities for area farmers and agriculture-related businesses to connect and do business, according to event organizers.

- MARSHALL -- Agricultural experts in several fields will be featured at the 25th annual Farm Outlook Seminar March 18 at Southwest Minnesota State University. Registration is required by March 13. For tickets, call 507-537-6266, or 1-800-260-0970. Registrations can be mailed to the SMSU Foundation, Founders Hall 225, 1501 State St., Marshall, MN, 56258. Registration and payment may also be submitted online at: www.southwestmsu.edu/farmseminar. Tickets are $100 per person, or $150 for a husband and wife.

- EAGAN -- A free agricultural education training will be offered for Minnesota producers who want to become more comfortable planning and delivering school visits and farm field trips. The training will be from 1 to 4 p.m. March 24 at the Minnesota Farm Bureau Office in Eagan. Members of Minnesota's leading commodity groups are encouraged to attend -- bring a friend or two and carpool to the training. To register, contact Karin Schaefer at 651-905-2115 or kschaefer@fbmn.org.

- WILLMAR -- The Farm Business Management Program at Ridgewater College will host a seminar "New Economic Realities of American Agriculture" from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. March 25 at the Kandi Entertainment Center in Willmar. The seminar will focus on agriculture and the changing economy. Predicting the future is difficult, but the workshop will discuss the key economic and financial changes that will be influencing the final financial score for 2009 and beyond. The presenter, Dr. David Kohl, is a professor emeritus in the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics of Virginia Tech. For more information or to register, call Kay Scholten at 320-222-7609. Cost for the seminar is $35, which includes lunch and program materials. Registration is required by Monday.

- WILLMAR -- The Center for Rural Affairs and Land Stewardship Project is sponsoring meetings about programs of the 2008 Farm Bill related to starting a business and growing locally. The meetings will present information on the new micro entrepreneur assistance program and some of the new developments and opportunities in the Value Added Producer Grant Program. Information about Country of Origin Labeling and how it impacts farmers who market locally, Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program, changes in meat inspection and opportunities for processing locally grown meat and selling across state lines, the Conservation Stewardship Program and some of the new provisions for organic farmers will also be available. Area meetings include from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Redwood Falls Public Library, from 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday at the Montevideo Community Center, from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service office in Morris and 5 to 6:30 p.m. at Countryside Public Health Meeting Room in Ortonville. For more information, contact Terry VanDerPol at tlvdp@landstewardshipproject.org or 320-269-2105, or Steph Larson at StephL@cfra.org or 402-687-2100.